Biblical Archeology: Bringing the Bible to Life

Independent sources confirm many of the major and minor characters of the Bible.

How lonely sits the city that was once full of people! She has become like a widow! She, that was great among the nations and a princess among the provinces, has become a tributary. Lamentations 1:1

Those melancholy words of the prophet Jeremiah were composed from the dismal confines of a dungeon cell. The prophet of God dictated the words of doom while his protege, the scribe Baruch ben Neriah, carefully recorded them on a scroll. Baruch read the words of Lamentations before the king of Judah, Jehoakim. The thought of losing his kingdom so angered the king that he cut the scroll into pieces and threw the scraps into a fire as though that would alter the divine decree.

Twenty-four hundred years later, a small lump of clay was discovered in Jerusalem bearing the seal of Baruch ben Neriah. The disciple of Jeremiah was suddenly and tangibly brought to life. One's imagination began to run wild. Could this be the seal that was used to authenticate the original scroll of Lamentations? There is one thing the imagination does not have to conjure. When a document was to be authenticated and rendered tamper-proof, the document was rolled up and bound by a length of cord. The knot was encased in a small lump of clay, called a bulla, which was held steady with one hand while the other hand embossed the seal onto the clay. When the bulla dried, the document was ready for delivery. It was not unusual for the fingerprints of the person holding the clay and seal to be impressed onto the sides of the bulla.

A thumbprint can be seen on the upper ridge of Baruch's bulla, most likely the print of Baruch himself.

Sure enough! A thumbprint can be seen on the upper ridge of Baruch's bulla, most likely the print of Baruch himself. Once again the imagination begins to roam. Could there be any DNA residue of Baruch on the hardened clay?

Outside Verification

A large number of modern-day historians claim that there is no evidence that the events in the Biblical accounts from Moses, Joshua, David, through Jeremiah, and Baruch, and their successors actually happened. They claim that these leaders never existed, or that, at best, they were insignificant tribal chieftains who were later made into national heroes by writers who lived long after the alleged events. According to those historians, the events mentioned in the Bible were the products of the composer's imagination. The heroes and villains of the Biblical story were crafted for a people who desperately needed heroes and villains.

Exactly who these crafty composers were, they do not say. Another point they do not address is how was it possible for these composers to one day suddenly present to the masses their supposed history, one of which they were previously totally unaware, is beyond explanation. The creditability of this history had to have been based on the reputation of the composer or composers, composers about whom we know nothing.

However, modern-day anti-Biblicists would rather embrace the idea that the story of Joshua, David, Solomon and their successors where mythical tales concocted by obscure writers rather than yield to the possibility that the stories are true.

It was not that long ago that there was no independent outside verification for hardly any of the Biblical characters. Nowadays, almost on a yearly basis, some independent source confirms the existence of one of the Biblical characters. Below is an impressive list of 61 Biblical persons, some are kings, some are prophets, some are heroes while others are enemies. They are central characters as well as minor players whose reality can be verified by archaeological and historical evidence.

Acceptable evidence is based on three factors:

The name of the individual has been found in some extra-Biblical record or on some piece of archaeological evidence, such as a bulla or seal.

The name must in some way be connected to the person named in the Biblical story. For example, the name Ahab being found on a seal would mean very little. However, if the seal read Ahab, King of Israel, that would mean a great deal.

The chronological context of the name found must match the chronology of the Biblical story. If the above "Ahab, King of Israel" seal was found in an archaeological stratum dating to the 12th century BCE, that would create a major problem. The Biblical Ahab lived many centuries later.

When all three factors have been met, according to the interpretation of recognized scholars, historians, and archaeologists, only then is the evidence conclusive.

The verification of the more obscure Biblical characters is the more astonishing.

To my mind, it is not the verification of the major personalities that is so impressive but rather the verification of the more obscure Biblical characters is the more astonishing. It could be argued that the Biblical stories were crafted around real kings and actual prophets who had lived and ruled in some bygone era. The names of these kings and prophets may have been retained in the conscious memory of the Biblical composers. They merely had to invent the stories, many of which were not at all complimentary to the audience to which they sought to appeal- something unheard of in the ancient world but has gained great popularity in our times. The Biblical composers would have found it necessary to add in a whole bevy of minor characters to make the story flow. These insignificant folks were totally fabricated by the composers. So goes the theory.

When outside confirmation of the minor characters surfaces, it lends great strength to those who firmly believe in the veracity and accuracy of the Biblical narrative.

Ahaz (II Kings 15-18,20,23; Isaiah 1,7,14,38; Hoshea 1; Micha 1; I Chronicles 3,8, etc.)
King of Judah
Mentioned in the cuneiform Annals of Tiglath-pileser III. 3 Several seals and bullae bearing the name of the king Ahaz. 4

*Azaliah son of Meshullam (II Kings 22; II Chronicles 34) "And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying..." (II Kings 22:3)
Bullae bearing the name of Azaliah son of Meshullum found in Jerusalem. 7

Azariah/Uzziah (II Kings 14,15) king of Judah.
Aramaic inscription on a stone plaque, found on the Mt. of Olives in Jerusalem, reads "Here were brought the bones of Uzziah, King of Judah." 8 Possibly the King Azariau of Yaudi mentioned in the Annals of Tiglath-pileser III. 9

Azariah son of Hilkiah (Ezra 7; I Chronicles 5) grandfather of Ezra, high priest.
A bulla found in Jerusalem bears the name Azariah son of Hilkiah. 10

*Baalis (Jeremiah 40) king of Ammon.
Attested to by two seals found in Jordan, the Milqom Seal and the Baalisha Seal which reads Baalisha (Baalis) king of the sons of Ammon. 11

*Baruch ben Neriah (Jeremiah 32,36,43,45) a scribe, a disciple of the prophet Jeremiah.
Several bullae bearing the name Baruch ben Neriah have been found in the archaeological City of David. One bulla bears the inscription "Baruch ben Neriah the Scribe." The stratum in which the seals were found is contemporaneous with Jeremiah. 12

*Gemariahu the son of Shaphan (Jeremiah 29,36) servant of king Jehoiakim.
Bulla found with the name Gemariahu the son of Shaphan. 21

Hazael (I Kings 19; II Kings 8,9,10,12,13) king of Aram, enemy of Israel.
Attested by ivory fragments found in Arslan Tash22 and Nimrud. Mentioned several times in Zakkur Stele. 23

Hezekiah (II Kings 16,18-21; Isaiah 1,36-39; Jeremiah 15,26; Hoshea 1; Micha 1; etc)
Renown king of Judah. Hezekiah was unsuccessfully besieged in Jerusalem by Sennecherib.
Mentioned several times in Annals of Sennacherib. The Annals refer to the siege of Jerusalem. 24 A number of seals and bullae bear the king's name. 25

Hezion (II Kings 15) king of Aram.
Attested to in the Melqart Stele. 26

*Hilkiah (II Kings 22,23; Jeremiah 1,29; Ezra 7; Nechemiah 11,12; II Chronicles 34,35) a high priest, contemporary of Jeremiah.
A signet ring bears the name of Hilkiah the priest. Dated to the era of Jeremiah. 27

Hoshea (II Kings 15,17,18) last king of Israel.
Attested to twice in the Annals of Tiglath-pileser III. "They overthrew their king Pekah and I (Tiglath-pileser) placed Hoshea as king over them." 30 Name found on a seal that reads, "Abdi, servant of Hoshea." 31

Jehoash (II Kings 12-14) Israelite king.
Mentioned in the Annals of Adad-nirari of Assyria and on the Tel Rimah Stele. 32

*Jehoiachin (II Kings 24,25; Jeremiah 52; II Chronicles 36). One of the last kings of Judah.
Mentioned in the Ration Tables of Babylon. 33

*Jehucal the son of Shelemiah (Jeremiah 37) official in the court of Zedekiah.
A bulla bearing the name "Jehucal the son of Shelemiah" was discovered in the archaeological city of David in Jerusalem together with other bullae dating to the period of Zedekiah. 37

*Jerahme'el, son of king Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36)
Bulla found with the imprint, "Jerahme'el, the king's son." 38

Jezebel (I Kings 16,18,21; II Kings 9) daughter of Ethbaal king of Sidon (Phoenicia), wife of king Ahab of Israel.
Name found on Phoenician royal seal dated to the era of Ahab. 40

Menachem (II Kings 15) Israelite king.
Mentioned twice in the annals of Tiglath-pileser III as Menachem of Samariah (the capital of Israel). 41

Manasseh (II Kings 20,21,23,24; Jeremiah 9,15; II Chronicles 33,34) infamous king of Judah, son of Hezekiah.
Attested to in the annals of Esarhaddon and the annals of Assurbanipal. 42 Name very possibly appears on a royal seal, which reads Manasseh son of the king (referring to Hezekiah). 43

Merodach-baladan II (II Kings 20; Isaiah 39) king of Babylonia, on friendly terms with Hezekiah king of Judah.
Mentioned in the cuneiform texts of Tiglath-pileser III, Sargon II, and Sennacherib. 44

*Mesha (II Kings 3) king of Moab contemporary with Omri dynasty of Israel, waged war with Israel.
Attested to in Mesha Stele, Mesha waged war with an Omri dynasty king. 45

Pekah (II Kings 15,16; Isaiah 7; II Chronicles 28) next to the last king of Israel.
Attested twice in the Annals of Tiglath-pileser III. "They overthrew their king Pekah and I (Tiglath-pileser) placed Hoshea as king over them." 49

Rezin (II Kings 15,16; Isaiah 7,8,9, Ezra 2; Nechemia 7) Last Aramean king of Damascus, fought with Pekah king of Israel.
Attested in the Annals of Tiglath-pileser III. 50

*Samgarnebo (Jeremiah 39) high official serving in the court of Nebucadnezzar.
A cuneiform tablet discovered in 1920 near Bagdad states that Samgarnebo was a chief official in the court of Nebucadnezzar. 51

Shallum (II Kings 15) King of Israel.
Very possibly this king is the "Shallum" whose name is found on a cylindrical seal. 55

Shalmaneser V (II Kings 17,18) conquers Israel, exiles ten tribes. Attested to in the Babylonian Chronicles and in the Babylonian King List. 56

*Shaphan (II Kings 22,25; Jeremiah 26,29, 36,40,41,43; II Chronicles 34) contemporary of Jeremiah.
Name found on a number of bullae dated to the period of Jeremiah. 57

*Shebna (II Kings 18,19; Isaiah 22,36,37) Servant (minister) of king Azariah. Called the "one over the house," referring to his position as the one in charge of the affairs of the house of the king.
Engraving above a burial cave bears his name and the phrase, "The one over the house." 58 A seal also bears the engraving, "Shebna, servant of the king."

Shishak (I Kings 11,14; II Chronicles 12) king of Egypt, invaded Canaan during reign of Rehoboam king of Judah.
Invasion of Canaan by Egyptian king Shishak (Shoshenq I) attested to in Megiddo Stele. 59

So (II Kings 17) king of Egypt, contemporary with Shalmaneser V of Babylon and Hoshea, last king of Israel.
Most probably to be identified with Osorkon, king of Egypt, contemporaneously with Shalmaneser V of Babylon. 60

*Sanballat the Horonite (Nechemia 2-4,6,13) governor in Judah, contemporary of Nechemia.
Sanballat the Horonite is mentioned several times in the Elephantine Papyrus which chronicles the time period of Nechemia. 61

Tabrimon (II Kings 15) king of Aram
Mentioned in the Melqart Stele. 62

*Tobiah the Ammonite (Nehemiah 2-4,6,7,13) antagonist of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Tobiah the Ammonite is mentioned several times in the Elephantine Papyrus which chronicles the time period of Ezra and Nechemia. Stanley A. Cook, The Significance of the Elephantine Papyri for the History of Hebrew ReligionThe American Journal of Theology, Vol. 19, No. 3 (Jul., 1915), pp. 346-38264

Zedekiah (II Kings 24,25; Jeremiah 1,21,24,27-29, 32,34,36-39,44.49.51.52 Nechemiah 10, I Chronicles 3, II Chronicles 36) last king of Judah, installed by Nebucadnesser.
Referred to in the Babylonian Chronicles of Nebucadnesser, and mentions that Nebucadnesser installed the Judean king. 65

Zedekiah the son of Hananiah (Jeremiah 36) official in the court of king Jehoiakim of Judah.
Bulla found in archaeological city of David bearing the name Zedekiah the son of Hananiah. The strata was contemporary with Jehoiakim. 66

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About the Author

Rabbi Leibel Reznick has been a senior lecturer in Talmudic studies in Rockland County, New York for the past 25 years. He has authored three books (The Holy Temple Revisited, A Time to Weep, and The Mystery of Bar Kokhba) and over 100 magazine and newspaper articles on Jewish History, archaeology, and religious and social issues.

Visitor Comments: 14

(13)
Squall,
April 21, 2009 11:36 AM

Answer to (4) Bruce

Bullas, steles and seals only appear when there is a CENTRAL STATE, ie when a king rules. It is only when you have a central administration that written contracts, religious texts and administrative documents are massively produced. So it makes perfect sense to see more writings after the united monarchy appears. During the period of the judges, few people know how to write and the alphabet was at its infancy (it was "invented" in the middle of the 2nd millenium) so dont expect to find written materials in the second half of the 2nd millenium in Israel/Canaan.
And thank you Rabbi Leibel Reznick for this facinating article.

(12)
Nathan Hoepner,
March 6, 2009 4:01 PM

Haim, Jesus IS mentioned in histories

Regarding Haim Levy's remarks: Jesus appears twice in Josephus (Antiquities 18.3.1 and 20.9.1), in Seutonius (Lives of the 12 Ceasars), and in Tacitus. Not to mention the early letters of Paul (Galatians, 1 and 2 Thess, 1 Corinthians) and James, all written within 20 years of his death and resurrection. It would have been bold indeed to write that soon about someone who did not exist, to people who could easily travel and check for themselves. See 1st Corinthians 15:3-8 especially. Christianity had many opponents, right from the beginning, but not even the most virulent ever attempted to suggest that Jesus did not exist.

(11)
John Crow,
February 3, 2009 1:08 PM

Something pre-David.

In 1 Samuel it says that Saul's armor was put in Ashtoreth's temple, yet 1 Chronicles says his head was in Dagon's temple. Another "clear" contradiction! oh wait! when Bethshan Tell was excavated they found the two temples connected by a short corridor, the Philistines had absorbed Ashtoreth into their pantheon and had a "dual purpose" temple. Archaeology can't prove spiritual assertions but it does confirm the historical accuracy and authenticity of the bible stories. Great article.

(10)
John Hindsill,
January 28, 2009 6:18 PM

One chariot wheel an Exodus does not make

Archaeology and Biblical texts are not necessarily congruent. The finding of a chariot wheel--or a pair of them--may merely mean that a chariot my have broken down on the shore and the wheel discarded, or a chariot had tried to cross for some other reason, perhaps at a low tide and didn't make it. Now if one found a cadre of chariots
there...maybe.

(9)
Haim Levy,
January 18, 2009 8:34 PM

excellent article

by the same token the existence of somebody called jesus who lived and died 2000 years ago can not be prooved by any outside source, even not the historians who lived in his own time and place.

Gary Shaffer,
April 15, 2013 1:45 AM

Search for historical proof is a distraction and unnecessary

There really is no proof of the exodus, but that doesn't matter one whit. If someone were to prove it never happened, would I stop celebrating Pesach? Never. When the rabbis were debating whether an oven was kosher, did the streams really flow backwards? Unlikely. Does that diminish the power and even truthfulness of the midrash? Not at all. Did people think the Iliad wasn't important before Schleimann found Troy? Well, 2000 years of readers and listeners didn't think so. It still remains one of the most moving and important books ever. Is there proof that Cain and Able existed and that Cain killed Able? No, but it doesn't matter in the slightest. Sin crouches at the door, but you can be its master. That matters, and Judaism commands us to work on that every day, moving toward better treatment of siblings, parents, workers, and even the stranger in our midst. Would we not do that because archeological proof is lacking or ambiguous? Judaism is unique as a religion since it compels us to question and think about everything, even whether G-d has been just. What other religion has the imperfect patriarchs and matriarchs of Judasim, who force us to work toward perfection even though we know it can never be reached? You shall be holy. That matters. Historical and archeological proof of people and events can shed light on much, but not on the truths of the Tanakh, and if you demand it, you diminish Judaism.

(8)
Anonymous,
November 23, 2008 5:27 PM

There's More Than That!

I know good and well that the Sea was split, but for any disbeliever, what were golden chariot wheels of the Pharoah Ramses II doing on the ocean floor where our anscestors walked? That should have been up here. Also, the statue of Tzafnas Paneach found in Egypt. Undeniable proof of Yosef/Joseph.

(7)
Anonymous,
November 18, 2008 1:34 AM

Abraham existed

During the Persian Gulf War they stumbled over a ruin in the dessert in Saudi Arabia.
They later excavated it and found Abraham's tax records.
Even he didn't escape the IRS of the day.

(6)
DD,
November 17, 2008 2:55 PM

Response to allen Aigen, Bruce, et al:

As for Joshua, there was evidence about him and events described in the Tanach about him,in the forms of stone monuments (recently discovered)with inscriptions telling the stories (along with symbols that came from that era) that completely matched Tanch descriptions. Other such monuments that matched later eras as described in the Tanach have also been found. As for earlier, there are stone tablets written in Egyptian and other early hyeroglyphic languages describing events that occurred to the Hebrews that corroborate the Biblical accounts (Rosetta Stone is well known and there are others. See the writings of Rabbi Avigdor Miller). Similarly, though later, are Persian records of the accounts of Purim and so on. Personally I can't see the sense in picking and choosing. enough proof is otu there to believe it all, but actually I don't need all this to believe it all, as I do not doubt the veracity of the COMPLETE Torah divinely sent down to the entire Jewish nation at SInai. THat substantiates any other Tanach record, as far as I'm concerned. Still, this is all so exciting, as it helps us feel so connected to our past, and for me, increases my yearning for Geula.
The thing I dream of as the ultimate archeological discovery is the contract between Avraham Avinu and the entire people of Cheis, who unanimously witnessed a transaction that sold Kiryas Arba to Avraham and his family forever. THat would be us, indisputably.

(5)
Ken,
November 16, 2008 7:22 PM

Thanks for your detailed work!

In a world where people mock anything biblical without even giving it a minute of study, an article like this is priceless! 1,000 thanks to Rabbi Reznick for the many hours he must have spent compiling this formidable and impressive list!

(4)
Bruce,
November 16, 2008 12:44 PM

But what about the Torah?

The "minor characters" in your list are all post-Davidic. They are all from the Books of Kings, or from the Prophets. Most modern Bible scholars (apart from the minimalists) agree that these books contain more or less historical accounts. The controversy between modern scholarship and traditional Judaism is whether the pre-Davidic accounts are mythic or historical.
I don't believe there are any contemporaneous references to anyone in the Torah or the Books of Joshua, Judges, or Samuel. Is this right?
(As you note, there are later references to the "House of David." And there is a later reference to Bilaam in the Deir Alla inscription.)

(3)
Phil Lazzar,
November 16, 2008 11:01 AM

Is Real or Isreal?

We often see what we want to see and find what we want to find. We come with an agenda and then take any "evidence" we come across and run with it as a proof of our beliefs.
To say that there is no historical or archeological evidence is not to say that a person did not exist or that an event did not take place. However, it does suggest that possibility the more unusual the person or the event.
On the other hand, to find archeological evidence that a person existed is not evidence about anything more than that. Even though you might be able to establish that a person existed this is not to say that the Biblical accounts about that person are necessarily true or false.
So...why get caught in a trap from which we have no escape? The Torah is full of truth on its own without any need to address history or archeology. Even a lifetime of Torah study will not begin to exhaust the truths in the Torah.

(2)
allen aigen,
November 16, 2008 9:29 AM

Joshua and earlier biblical figures are not listed

Just as people with an ax to grind will incorrectly lump all the Bible together as 'just stories', so may those with proof of the Kings of Israel and their contemporaries, imply that stories of Joshua and Moses and earlier must also be just as accurate.

(1)
jacobo lashak-korogodsky,
November 16, 2008 8:16 AM

This is a proff of the autenticity of the BIBLE.

all these is a very solid argument , and i don´t know why didn´t mention the kumram findings, they are two thaousand years old.

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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